Foot care in the pharmacy helps to keep the community moving.
We all know the feeling when we have been standing the whole day and then finally get the chance to sit down and put our feet up — the relief!
The feet are the great workhorses of the body and they deserve to be looked after. They lay the foundation for almost every aspect of motion and a problem with them can manifest itself in pain elsewhere, such as in the knees. And for people with conditions like diabetes, foot care is even more crucial.
As well as soreness and injury, our feet can be assailed by a range of common complaints, such as cracked heels, athlete’s foot, hard skin, and verrucas. People should not ignore these complaints.
Hard skin or calluses can form, especially around the heel area or on the skin under the ball of the foot. While generally not harmful, they can lead to painful cracked skin, bacterial infections, and bleeding if left untreated.
Fortunately, there are a range of over-the-counter (OTC) products from shops to help maximise our foot care.
One of these products, which is available in shops and pharmacies, is the HoMedics Luxury Foot Spa. Equipped with multiple massage settings and pedicure attachments, this innovative three-in-one micro-circulation unit will soothe tired feet and leave them soft and refreshed. Its jets of water provide a massage in the form of hydrotherapy, helping to improve the blood flow and circulation to our feet.
Another trusted brand is the Carmen Digital Temperature Control Foot Spa. This foot spa benefits from vibration, bubble, and heat settings, for an all-in-one at-home spa experience.
MOISTURE
There are several creams to help keep feet moisturised, an essential part of footcare. One such product is Medicare Foot Care cream. It is for daily foot care, cracked heels, and the prevention of calluses on feet. Its active ingredients speed-up skin regeneration and help keep skin soft.
There is also Medicare Foot Care Active Gel. Its main ingredient is horse chestnut extract, which rejuvenates tired legs and refreshes the skin. It might also help reduce the risk of developing edemas and circulatory problems, and can be used for the care of varicose and spider veins.
For dry, rough feet, CeraVe SA Renewing Foot Cream is a rich yet non-greasy cream, formulated with three essential ceramides and salicylic acid. A fast-absorbing cream, it works to gently exfoliate skin while effectively moisturising. CeraVe products have been developed with dermatologists, and their patented MVE Technology provides continuous hydration for up to 24 hours.
Compeed is another trusted brand for foot care. Compeed Blister plasters offer a wide variety of specialist solutions to help prevent blister development or speed up healing for many blister shapes and sizes. They contain an active hydrocolloid gel technology that, in addition to providing cushioning, will give instant pain relief and create a protective environment for the blister to heal. In clinical studies, Compeed blister plasters have been demonstrated to provide instant pain relief and extra cushioning. Blisters have also been shown to heal 20 per cent faster with Compeed than with regular plasters.
There is also Compeed Bunion Plasters. A bunion is a bony lump or deformity that forms on the side of the big toe. It happens when the joint of the big toe grows sideways. This pushes the bones of the big toe towards the smaller toes.
Bunions can be incredibly painful. While only surgery can remove the bunion, Compeed Bunion Plasters, which are specially designed to fit around the foot, provide instant relief from painful pressure and rubbing. They help to prevent blisters and further hardening of the skin, which can lead to other painful skin conditions.
CORNS
Another popular and trusted brand is Scholl, which provides a range of products to treat many problems such as corns. Scholl Corn Foam Cushions’ optimum shape makes the cushion suitable for soft and hard corns. Due to the hypoallergenic adhesive, the felt pads are suitable for sensitive skin. The dual-layer construction comprises two soft foams with different densities which guarantee maximum cushioning and pressure relief.
According to Scholl, it is important to remove hard skin and moisturise with special creams on a regular basis in order to maintain soft and healthy feet. Scholl’s Velvet Smooth Electronic File System gently buffs away dead skin to reveal the smooth, soft skin beneath. There is also Scholl Cracked Heel Repair Cream Active Repair K+, which moisturises the skin and provides ‘active’ skin repair for rough, dry, and cracked heels.
FUNGAL INFECTION
Fungal nail infection affects one-in-four people. They can occur through not keeping your feet clean and wearing shoes that cause feet to get hot and sweaty.
But even well-cared-for feet can catch a fungal nail infection. These particular fungi are highly contagious and thrive in moist, warm environments, such as warm, sweaty shoes, and can be caught when walking barefoot in communal showers, or at the gym for example. The good news is that despite being quite common and highly contagious, fungal nail infections are easily treatable if tackled early.
Scholl Fungal Nail Treatment is a uniquely designed system, scientifically proven for the treatment of fungal nail. The discrete, easy-to-use liquid has been specially formulated to penetrate into the nail to treat the fungal infection at its source. It also helps to prevent the spread of the fungus and protects against recurrence. It is an effective, caring solution that can be used at home without a prescription.
Athlete’s foot is also a very common complaint. Symptoms include scaly, peeling, or cracked skin between the toes, fluid-filled blisters, and itchiness.
Keeping feet dry is difficult, as a person has about 125,000 sweat glands in each foot, and each foot can produce four ounces of moisture a day
People are advised not to scratch affected skin as this can spread the infection to other parts of the body. Protective footwear, like flip-flops, should be worn in public pools, showers, and locker rooms, where the infection is more likely to be picked up.
A person is also more likely to get it if they have wet or sweaty feet, or if the skin on the feet is damaged. However, keeping feet dry is difficult, as a person has about 125,000 sweat glands in each foot, and each foot can produce four ounces of moisture a day.
Athlete’s foot should be treated as soon as possible with a specialised product like Scholl Athlete’s Foot Cream to help prevent the infection from spreading to the nails. The cream contains an anti-fungal ingredient that is clinically proven to treat athlete’s foot effectively. It has a seven-day treatment time, killing the fungal infection and soothing itching.
